Broken Worlds Collide
by selectivelysane
Summary: Er..I suck at summeries(and spelling). Basically..Hermione and Draco cross paths and find they have more in common than they thought. WARNING: contains rape and abuse
1. Cute but Moody

Disclaimer: er...yeah.....you know what goes here. i dont own HP and if i did it would be called "Draco Malfoy" so yeah....er...dont sue me..im broke.

Hermione Granger sat on beach over looking the ocean. There was a calmness about it that made her feel at peace. Her 6th year at Hogwarts had just ended 2 weeks ago, and her summer had already began to suck. Hermione's mother, Sarah Granger, had died in a plane crash the day before Hermione got home. All summer, her father has been blaming her for Sarah's death. He began going to the bar almost every night and coming home drunk. In his drunken state, he takes his anger out on Hermione, beating and yelling at her. Her only escape was watching the ocean and writing in her diary.

In the past 2 weeks, Hermione had changed a lot. She was no longer the bushy haired, buck toothed, know-it-all bookworm that she had been labeled for 6 years. She had tamed her wild, bushy brown hair. It now fell in soft ringlets down her back and it was no longer brown. She had dyed it black and added platinum blonde highlights. Her wardrobe had changed along with her attitude. She changed it to gothic/punk baggy pants and shirts. She wasn't the little girl that came to Hogwarts to prove herself anymore. She was all grown up. Even her curves proved the fact.

She was dreading going home because she knew her father would find any reason to make her life miserable. Hermione was so lost in thought that she didn't notice a rather battered looking boy limping down the beach.

The boy took a seat under a near by palm tree, watching Hermione. 'She looks oddly familiar' he thought to himself, but he couldn't remember who she was. He ran a hand through his platinum hair, removing it from his face. He looked closer at Hermione and noticed a fading bruise in the shape of a hand print on her neck. He wondered who would choke such a pretty girl. He was brought out of his thoughts when Hermione turned around and looked directly at him. He quickly looked away and hoped she didn't see him staring. He wasn't that lucky.

"Can I help you?" Hermione asked getting up and walking over to him. Her hair blew in the wind making her look like an angel to the boy.

"You can keep me company. I'm Draco Malfoy." The Slytherin prince said extending his hand to girl in front of him.

"I know who you are and I'm not staying any where near you." She replied acidly. Draco studied her face a little closer. His eyes widened as realization dawned on him.

"Granger?! What happened to you?!" Draco asked not sure if he meant her change or the bruise on her neck.

"My life is none of your business. Besides, why do you care? I'm just a mudblood. Not even worthy to walk the same Earth as the Almighty Malfoy." Hermione snapped back.

"I don't. I was just asking. You don't have to bite my head off," Malfoy said smoothly.

"Fuck off, Malfoy" Hermione spat his name like it was a foul taste in her mouth.

"Hmm, seems that our little Miss Granger has quite the temper on her, huh?"

"You don't know shit about me," With that said, Hermione turned and walked off. Once she was out of ear shot, Draco muttered, "Damn that girl is cute but moody as hell"


	2. Youre not my father!

Disclaimer: er...yeah.....you know what goes here. i dont own HP and if i did it would be called "Draco Malfoy" so yeah....er...dont sue me..im broke.

PS. Im not crazy....Im Selectivelysane

Later that night, Hermione laid on her bed staring up at the ceiling. Her thoughts wandered to Harry and Ron. She hadn't heard anything from them since they left Platform 9 3/4. She was beginning to wonder if they had forgotten about her but blew the thought off. Harry was at the Dursley's so he probably didn't have time to write and Ron was in Romania with the rest of the Weasley gang visiting Charlie. 'This is going to be a long holiday.' Hermione thought.

Just as that thought crossed her mind, Hermione's father came pounding up the stairs. Hermione hated that he was her father. She didn't like to think that a father would hit his child. She didn't even call him her father. There was a pounding on the door as her "father" banged his fists into it, screaming for Hermione.

"Open the door!!" He shouted. Hermione knew what was coming so she just laid there on her bed. She knew that she couldn't leave without getting caught. The window in her room had bars on it and the only way to open it was from the outside.  
"You bitch! Open this fucking door or I'll knock it down!" His works were slurred and it was easy to tell that he was drunk. Hermione got up and walked over to her door. It was about to give from her father ramming it.

Hermione saw this and quickly ran to the opposite side of her room. As far away from the door as she could go. The door gave way and he came in. The smell of liquor flooded through her room. Ken made his way across the room, stumbling over his own feet. At about 5' 11" and 210 lbs, he grabbed Hermione by her hair and threw her across the room. She crashed into her dresser and hit her head. Although she was dizzy, she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of know she was hurt. She hadn't fully healed from the night before. Even though she was in pain, she stood back up.

"Come here, Hermione. I want you to know that I love you. You look so much like your mother." Ken moved closer to Hermione. His eyes were glazed over with an emotion Hermione didn't recognize until he was right next to her. Lust. He was going to do something bad and she knew it.

"Get the fuck away from me!!" Hermione swatted his hand away when he reached out to touch her cheek. She didn't want him near her.

"You ungrateful bitch. After everything I've done for you, you think you can talk to me like that. You should know better than to take that tone with your father!" His words were terribly slurred but Hermione understood him.

"You are not my father!" Hermione yelled back. Ken slapped her across her face. The hit sent her flying into the wall. She slid down the wall still dizzy from hitting her head. Ken grabbed her around her throat and lifted her so her feet were dangling above the floor. She tried to pry his hand loose but it was no use. His grip was too tight.

"DON'T YOU EVER DISRESPECT ME LIKE THAT AGAIN!!!" he roared. He dropped Hermione on the floor, kneeing her in her stomach on the way down. She laid on the floor gasping for breath when she was rolled on her back.

"Fine, you want to act like a bitch, then I'll treat you like one." Hermione looked up at him wide eyed, knowing what was coming. He pinned her to the floor and pressed his mouth roughly over hers. Hermione nearly gagged on the taste of alcohol that was strong on him. He ran his tongue over her lip to ask for entrance but when he was denied, he bit down hard on her lip causing her to gasp. Using that opportunity, he shoved his tongue in her mouth. His rough hands were running their course over the rest of her body. The feeling of this "man" on her made Hermione sick to her stomach but she fought the urge to cry. She still didn't want him to have the satisfaction of her tears. Her father ripped Hermione's shirt right off her body. Hermione tried to fight him but he was too drunk. He didn't feel her hits and ignored her protests. He lighted the pressure on her waits and legs just long enough to get her pants off. Hermione could feel his hardness rubbing against her thigh. She hated the feeling. But before she knew it, he had ripped her bra off her body too. Her trailed sloppy kisses down her neck and collar bone. His mouth savagely attacked Hermione's right breast while one of his hands fondled the other one. His other hand was undoing his pants, freeing him from the cloth bondage. The only thing between him and Hermione was the thin fabric of her underwear. But even that wasn't enough to stop him. In one swift movement, he ripped her underwear off her body and threw it across her room. His hands roughly ran over her fragile body, making her feel dirty. Her positioned himself over her and prepared to enter.

"You little slut. This is what you get for making me lose my wife. Now you take her place." He rammed into her causing her to let out a ear piercing shriek, but a hard slap silenced her. He pulled almost all the way out and rammed into her again. Hermione couldn't fight the tears any longer. She closed her eyes and imagined that she was anywhere but here. She imagined that she was back on the beach with Malfoy. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get away. It felt as if she was going to rip in half. He continued the painful movements until he climaxed. His weight collapsed on Hermione, crushing her when he landed. Ken grunted in her ear, "You're almost as good a fuck as your mother. But I guess you will have to do." Ken got up and pulled his pants back on. He kicked Hermione in the ribs a few times, breaking the bottom two. Gasping for air, Hermione tried to shield herself from further blows, hearing the sickening crunch of another rib breaking. But that didn't stop the assault. Hermione couldn't take the pain anymore and let darkness over come her.


	3. Runaway

Disclaimer: er...yeah...you know what goes here. i dont own HP and if i did it would be called "Draco Malfoy" so yeah...er...dont sue me..im broke.

PS. Im not crazy...Im Selectivelysane

Draco wasn't sure what to think about her. She beat him in every class and caused his father to beat him mercilessly. Granger was such a goody-goody. He had began to wonder who would hit her like that. '_Why do I care about that mudblood?'_ Thoughts of Hermione plagued him the rest of the day.

The sun was setting under the horizon and Draco knew his father would come looking for him soon. He dreaded the nights punishment for running away. His father had always been a no BS type of person. Draco knew that his father would beat him, if not worse, for disrespecting him. Slowly and gingerly, Draco stood up, trying not to injure himself further. He limped down the beach; he wanted to get as far away from the manor as he could. Draco knew he needed to get to Hogwarts. It was the safest place for him. He decided to try and get to the Leaky Cauldron, even though his father could still get him there. He'd worry about that and write to Dumbledore when he got there.

Deciding it would take too long to get there on foot, he held out his wand and signaled the Knight Bus. Making as much noise as possible, the large purple bus stopped in front of Draco, causing him to lose his balance. He landed hard on the ground beneath him, sending a wave of pain through his already battered body. The director opened the door and greeted Draco.

"Hello, my name is Stan and I'll be youre conductor for the evening." He glanced around for a second then looked down at Draco on the ground. "What are you doing down there?" (AN: sound familiar?)Draco simply mumbled something incoherently and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well? Come on then. We don't have all day."

Draco reached out for Stan's out stretched hand and pulled himself from the ground. He stumbled on the way up and landed in Stan's arms. Out of instinct, Stan closed him arms around Draco to prevent him from hitting the ground again. His hand brushed against Draco's ribs, sending another flood of agony coursing through his chest. Before he could stop himself, Draco cried out in pain and cradled his injured ribs. Stan carefully guided Draco onto the bus and gave Earn a shout.

"Take it away Earn!" Stan hollered.

"Yah, take it away Earn. WHA HA HA HA HA!" the shrunken head mimicked (I had to add the head in. its one of my favorite characters.. lol) Stan just rolled his eyes, and held on as the bus got off to its usually _sudden_ start. He glanced at Draco, who had his eyes closed but wasn't sleeping. It was easy to tell that his breathing was labored. His long platinum hair covered part of his face.

"Where you off to stranger?" Stan asked casually.

"Leaky Cauldron," Draco replied, breaking into a coughing fit. Stan helped him sit up so Draco didn't choke on his own spit. Draco's breathing had become even quicker. The convulsions from the coughing jarred his ribs, putting a tremendous amount of pressure on his lungs. He started coughing up blood and felt his stomach twisting in knots, forcing its contents out of his mouth. Draco regained some control over his breathing and collapsed against the seat, panting. Stan waved his wand and the mess was cleaned up. Draco ran a hand through his hair, brushing it out of his face. Without the gel, his hair laid loose and in his eyes. When Stan looked at Draco, he gasped. Draco glanced up at him with a looked of pure confusion.

"Like you've never been sick before," Draco commented, wondering what Stan was staring at.

"What happened to you?" he asked, pointing to Draco's face, neck, and exposed parts of his arms.

"What are you talking about? You're-" Draco suddenly stopped talking. His eyes grew wide and his skin paled. _'Fuck! The concealment charms must have warn off.'_ he thought. Draco quickly regain his composure and put on the trademark Malfoy smirk. "You're treading on thin ice. I suggest you take caution."

Stan shut up and went back to reading his paper. Draco redirected his attention out a window, getting lost in thought. _'How could I've been so careless. I should've replaced the charm before I got on the bus. Dammit. Now I'll have to keep a low profile for sure.**' **_His mind traveled back to right before he left the manor. His father had been really pissed. Hermione had managed to beat him again and got top marks in everything. His father didn't approve of a mudblood beating Draco in grades. And Draco was supposed to bow and pledge his allegiance to Voldemort. He had decided a long time ago that he would rather die than surrender to that mad man.

**Flashback**

**Draco was calmly laying on his bed, reading a book. His headphones were up loud and he had become so engrossed in the pages that he didn't even notice his door creep open and his father make his way into the room. Lucious took one look around the room, making sure there was nothing peculiar going on. Once he deemed everything ok, he strode over to Draco's bed side. Finally noting there was another presence in the room, the steely eyed boy looked up. Pulling his headphones off, he turned to his father, no emotion present as always.**

**"Draco, there will be guests tonight. They are very important people and you will do nothing to embarrass us or shame the Malfoy name in any fashion. Is that understood?" Lucious said in a dangerous tone. **

**"Who's so important?" Draco inquired sarcastically. It was the same thing every time there was a visitor. He was threatened and more-than-likely still beaten. Lucious had rounded on Draco before he saw it coming. Before he knew it, an iron grip was on his neck and Lucious was about in inch away from his face, seething in anger.**

**"Don't you ever take that tone with me again boy!" Lucious growled dangerously low. Lucious tightened his grip around Draco's neck. "Your initiation is moved up and I will not tolerate this kind of disrespect from my son. The Dark Lord wants you in his ranks as soon as possible. You will be receiving the dark mark before you return to school."**

**Lucious let go of Draco and let him drop. Gasping for breath, Draco rubbed his rapidly bruising neck and looked up at his father. "I will not serve him. I would rather die."**

**"Oh, my dear boy, how easily that can be arranged," sneered the blonde man. He raised his hand and brought it swiftly across Draco's face. Draco was sent sprawling across the room. He landed with a thud against his dresser, knocking off a few books that landed on him. Lucious raised his wand at Draco. "You have no idea how easily I could kill you right now.But, I wont. I don't want to explain your sudden…demise…to the Dark Lord. So… Crucio!"**

**Draco's body started convulsing violently as the spell hit him. He felt as if his nerves were on fire and his body was being ripped apart from the inside out. He couldn't control it any more and let out a Earth shattering scream. After about 2 minutes, the curse was lifted and Draco could barely move. **

**"Get up boy!" Lucious ordered, walking over to where Draco lay. When he didn't move, Lucious kicked him hard in he stomach. "I told you to get up!" Draco tried to lift himself from the floor but on the way up, a foot made contact with his ribs. Collapsing to the floor, Draco tried to regain his strength. Lucious hit him again and again in the same spot on his ribs, breaking at least 3 of them. Draco had began coughing up blood when Lucious finally stopped kicking him. There was already a pool of blood surrounding Draco's limp form. **

**"You're pathetic. You don't deserve to live. You are a Malfoy. You weak excuse for a human. I'll make a man out of you even if it kills you. My father taught me and now its time for you to learn the same lesson." Lucious picked Draco up and threw him over his bed. Draco groaned trying to fight Lucious off but there wasnt anything he could do. Lucious muttered a quick binding charm and casted a silencing charm on the room. He advanced on Draco, watching his son's emotionless face with interest. His expression changed suddenly when he realized what Lucious intended to do.**

**"Fuck off, Father!" Draco tried to get up but was pinned down faster then he could move. He knew it was over but he didn't want to believe that his father would do this. Draco knew his father was cruel but never thought it would go this far. Not to him at least. Draco may be a Slytherin but he wasn't cruel enough to think of raping someone. But his father was different. Draco was brought back to reality by his father slamming into him. Draco screamed as his father violated him. Lucuis punched Draco to make him shut up.**

**"More you fight the harder it will be," Lucious grunted into his ear. Draco nearly passed out from the pain. He felt as if his body was being ripped in half. He would've rather taken the Cruticus (sp?) Curse than have to endure this. Lucious finally climaxed, spilling his seed into is son. He roughly pulled out from between Draco's spread and bleeding legs.**

**"Our guests will arrive in an hour. Be on your best behavior and don't disappoint me." Lucious said walking out of the room.**

**"Go to Hell," Draco spat and with what was left of his strength, he apperated away from Malfoy Manor, never to return…**

**End Flashback**

"Hey! Sir, its your stop."

Stan's voice brought Draco back to reality. He had been so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed that it was his stop. Draco quickly got up and went into the Leaky Cauldron where Tom was awaiting his arrival.

A/N: Alrighty….review please. I know im not the best writer…but geez.. I still like to get reviews. Or is it that nobody reads my story…I feel so loved wipes away tear. Lol.. anyway…just review. I may be tempted to get the chapters up a little faster. btw...I dont have a beta so sorry for the grammatical errors


	4. Easier to Run

Disclaimer: er...yeah...you know what goes here. i don't own HP and if i did it would be called "Draco Malfoy" so yeah...er...don't sue me...im broke. And I don't own the song..Easier to Run belongs to Linkin Park.

Thanks you to all the people that actually reviewed. I have 4 reviews and now I know how hard it is to actually get people to review stories…geez…oh well. On with the story!

PS. Im not crazy...Im Selectivelysane

Ch 4

Slowly regaining consciousness, Hermione listened to find out if it was safe to open her eyes. She heard no sounds that would suggest her father was in the house. She gently opened her eyes, trying to let them adjust to the light. Once her eyes were focused, she looked around the room. Everything was turned over and it looked as if a tornado hit. She tried to sit up but abandoned that plan as pain coursed through her body. The memories of last night rushed back as she looked at her beaten and abused body. A pool of her own blood was surrounding her, staining a new spot on the carpet. The clothes she was wear lay in a bloody, torn mess balled up and thrown carelessly into the corner.

Hermione glanced at the clock and found it was 9:45am. '_Crap. Father isn't at work. He may still be around somewhere. I should be careful.' _Using every ounce of strength, she got up, ignoring the pain. Hermione almost collapsed as the pain was fighting to take control of her body once again. She swayed slightly, gaining her balance before moving as quickly as possible to find clothes. Once she found a robe, she threw it on and headed out of her room. As Hermione thought, her father was still home. His snores could be heard clearly through out the hall. She snuck further down the hall and glanced into his room as she passed. Ken was passed out across the bed, laying on all sort of junk from the messy room.

Closing her eyes for a sec, Hermione leaned against the wall for support. She silently prayed that he wouldn't wake up for a while and give her enough time to send a letter. Hermione moved toward the stairs, passing several bloody hand prints on the wall. It was her blood that decorated the walls and various spots on the carpet. Hermione made it down the first stair. Pain shot up her legs as she tried to support her weight going down the stairs. Her knees buckled, causing her to lose her balance. Hermione managed to catch herself before she fell and prayed that her father didn't wake up. She listened for any sound of movement, but the house was silent except for the continuous snores floating from her parents room. Hermione kept moving as quietly and quickly as she could.

After a great amount of effort, she finally made it down the stairs. The living room looked like a nuke went off. Papers and books littered the floor and most of the furniture was turned upside down. Hermione pocketed a sheet of paper and a pen. The chairs that were supposed to be in the kitchen were scattered across the house. A few were in pieces. On the shards, the residue from duct tape could still be seen from when Hermione was strapped down by her father. Her mother's flower pots were smashed and her prized flowers were destroyed, leaving a dirty mess on the carpet. The carpet was as bad as it was upstairs. There were blood stains littering the carpet and her father's vomit could be smelled from last night. He would always come home pukingly drunk. Hermione was expected to clean up after him but she couldn't take it anymore. She needed to get out.

She moved into the kitchen to survey the damage. It was wrecked almost as badly as the living room was. The cabinets were open with bloody hand prints on the doors. Pots and pans were everywhere. The table cloth was on the floor and stained with blood and vomit. The sink overflowed with dirty dishes, a few were broken. The chairs that were still in the kitchen were either in pieces or dirty. Sighing, Hermione made her way over to the refrigerator. There wasn't really anything in it except old milk, yogurt, beer, and fruit. Opting to grab an apple, she washed it and walked back into the living room. Hermione wasn't able to eat much over break and it was showing. Her skin stretched over her ribs, which stuck out at odd angles. Eating as fast as she could, she threw away the core as a loud grunt was heard from upstairs. _'Shit'_ she thought. She ran to the nearest closet, hoping to hide from his wrath. In the back of her mind, she knew it was pointless. Ken would find her. She'd never get out of here. Hermione heard heavy stomps down the stairs. She could see Ken walking past the closet. Once he passed, she ran and quickly and quietly as she could to get back to her room. As she made her way up the stairs, Ken groaned and yelled, "HERMIONE! GET YOUR LAZY ASS DOWN HERE! I WANT THE SHIT CLEANED UP BY THE TIME I GET BACK!" He walked out the house, slamming the door behind him.

Hermione thanked God that she would have time to rest. Walking slowly, she entered her room and grabbed some clean clothes. She headed toward the shower, peeling off her robe and adjusting the water. She let the water rinse away the dry blood that caked her skin. Once she finished the shower, she did the thing she hated most; she looked in the mirror. She hated the thing that looked back at her in the glass. It was such an awful, nasty creature. Its bones were outlined by pale skin and littered with bruises and cuts. Tearing her eyes away from the mirror, she dressed in baggy black pants, a black t shirt that said "Someone should stab you in the eye with a really hot French fry", and a pair of combat boots. She pulled her hair up in a sloppy bun and walked out her room. She was cleaning up when her mind started to wander. She thought of Harry and Ron. They were so clueless. They were normally to busy sleeping around to pay any attention to her. She was only good for homework. Hermione decided this year that she wouldn't take it anymore. Its her final year at Hogwarts and she's not going to be walked on. Draco floated through her mind. He was perfect. Everything about him was flawless. Hermione couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to wrapped in his arms. _'Wait a sec! What am I thinking! Malfoy? Flawless? I must've lost more blood than I thought'_ Hermione continued cleaning, turning on the radio. Linkin Park was playing. Hoping to Drown out thoughts of Draco, she turned it up and started singing:

"Something has been taken  
From deep inside of me  
A secret I've kept locked away  
No one can ever see  
Wounds so deep they never show  
They never go away  
Like moving pictures in my head  
For years and years they've played

If I could change I would  
Take back the pain I would  
Retrace every wrong move that I made I would  
If I could  
Stand up and take the blame I would  
If I could take all the shame to the grave I would

It's easier to run  
Replacing this pain with something numb  
It's so much easier to go  
Than face all this pain here all alone

Sometimes I remember  
The darkness of my past  
Bringing back these memories  
I wish I didn't have  
Sometimes I think of letting go  
And never looking back  
And never moving forward so  
There would never be a past

If I could change I would  
Take back the pain I would  
Retrace every wrong move that I made I would  
If I could  
Stand up and take the blame I would  
If I could take all the shame to the grave I would

It's easier to run  
Replacing this pain with something numb  
It's so much easier to go  
Than face all this pain here all alone

Just washing it aside  
All of the helplessness inside  
Pretending I don't feel misplaced  
Is so much simpler than change

It's easier to run  
Replacing this pain with something numb  
It's so much easier to go  
Than face all this pain here all alone

It's easier to run  
If I could change I would  
Take back the pain I would  
Retrace every wrong move that I made  
It's easier to go

If I could change I would  
Take back the pain I would  
Retrace every wrong move that I made I would  
If I could  
Stand up and take the blame I would  
If I could take all the shame to the grave"

Hermione was in tears by the end of the song. She pushed the thoughts to the back of her head and kept cleaning. It was almost 3 and she wasn't near finished. As long as she's there, she should try to avoid pissing Ken off and giving him a reason to beat her. Hermione glanced up at her calendar. It was June 28. Still 2 months until Hermione was able to go home and never come back to this place again. Sighing, she finished cleaning the living room, the radio still blaring from the corner.

When she finished the room, she looked back at the clock. It was already 530 and she hadn't started on the kitchen yet. There was no way she was going to finish before 6. She would definitely going to catch a good pounding for this one.

A/N: whoo…that was a good one. Sorry that took so long. Ive been like busy and had writers block. Track season is just starting and practice has been killin me. but yeah...anyone got any CONSTRUCTIVE critisism then ok...let me know but keep in mind..this hasnt been proof read. so sorry for grammatical errors


	5. Pain, Mysteries and Saviors

Disclaimer: er...yeah...you know what goes here. i dont own HP and if i did it would be called "Draco Malfoy" so yeah...er...dont sue me..im broke.

It really is a pain in the butt to get people to review huh? Thanks to all my reviewers. I love yall. This chapter it for you. Sorry I took so long. Ive been busy with track and exams are coming and crap. and sorry about spelling/grammer.So…yeah… On with the story!

PS. Im not crazy...Im Selectivelysane

Ch 5

Draco walked into the Leaky Cauldron and glanced around. The place was dimly lit as usual and empty. The tables were covered in a thin layer of dust and the chairs were stacked neatly on the tables. Draco stood strait and walked to the counter where Tom was, showing no emotion and no sign of injury.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy! I was expecting your arrival. Your usual room is ready." Tom greeted eagerly. With a nod to Tom, Draco made his was up the side stairs. He had a special room that's secluded from the rest of the Inn and wards off unwanted visitors. Rarely it did pay to have Malfoy as a last name. Draco disarmed his room and walked in. Quickly replacing the wards, he collapsed on the bed, no longer able to support his weight. Before he could do much else, he fell into a troubled slumber, plagued with thoughts of Hermione.

Hermione worked as fast as she could to clean the kitchen even though she knew she would get beat anyway. It was the last things left and the rest of the house was almost spotless. Hermione was pretty sure he would find something to complain about anyway. He always did. The clock struck 6 and as usual, Ken walked in. He took one glance around the house and in a dangerously low growl, spoke.

"I thought I told you when I left that I wanted this house cleaned up by the time I got back. You worthless little whore. I give you a roof to live under and you cant even keep it clean. You're fucking pathetic." Ken back handed Hermione across her face. She was sent sprawling across the just cleaned living room. He walked over to where Hermione had laid the trash that needed to be taken out. There was a pile of broken chairs, dishes, and vases. Ken picked up a broken chair leg and waved it in the air at Hermione.

"WHAT IS THIS! YOU THINK YOU CAN BREAK THINGS BECAUSE YOUR MOTHER IS GONE! IS THAT IT! YOU'RE TOO GOOD FOR THIS!" Ken bellowed, throwing broken pieces of chair at Hermione. She ducked and covered her head to protect it from the flying wood. She tried to get up and run but she didn't make it very far before Ken grabbed her hair. He dragged her up the stairs, not releasing his hold on her hair until they were in his room. He ripped her shirt off and flung her onto his bed. He towered over her and sneered, "What's wrong? I bet you let all the boys at that freakish school of yours fuck you. Don't you, you dirty little slut?"

Hermione showed no emotions as her father raped her again. Before he climaxed, He tore out of her.

"Open your mouth, you stupid bitch." Hermione didn't move so he punched her in the stomach. She gasped and he held her mouth open. He moved on and out of her mouth until he climaxed. "Swallow it." Hermione nearly choked as the warm, salty liquid poured into her throat. She gagged a few times but was forced to swallow it down. Hermione felt as if she was about the throw up. She knew better though. That would only anger him.

Ken threw Hermione back on the bed. He pulled his pants back on and picked up a leather belt. He whipped Hermione across her back, opening old wounds and making new ones. Her flesh was peeling back, exposing the raw, tortured skin underneath. He flipped the almost unconscious Hermione over so her mangled back was against the bed. He spread her legs open again and looked at the smooth, slightly bruised skin on the thighs.

"Bet nobody will want you now." Ken taunted, raising his hand to strike the now exposed flesh. He brought the belt down sharply against the silky skin of her thighs. Welts were left on her skin where the belt made contact. Every time he struck her, he aimed closer to her most sensitive area. Hermione started whimpering when she felt the belt hit her. Ken brought the belt down on her, making sure it hit her hard. Hermione cried out as he tore the flesh around her womanhood. Ken looked at his daughters face, pleased she was in pain.

"Get out before I get pissed." He ordered coldly. Hermione ignored her body's pleas as she got up and staggered out of the room. She could hardly walk as the damage to her legs was severe and she was losing blood. She made her way to her room as fast as she could. She knew she didn't have much time. She took out the pen, paper, and envelope she stashed in her room earlier. She quickly scribbled a note and jammed it in the envelope. Not caring that she was naked, she went to her window and called for her owl. Orion, her night black owl, flew gracefully down to the window. He looked at her like he knew something was wrong. Orion majestically stood, waiting for his orders. Hermione charmed the note to say the name of the receiver and placed it in a pouch around Orion's leg.

"Please take this to someone that will listen." Hermione whispered. She placed a hand on his glossy feathers and kissed Orion on the tip of his beak. She accidentally got blood on his feathers but Orion was gone before she noticed. Hermione watched him fly out of sight but the chill midnight air was stinging her cuts. Not bothering to put clothes on, Hermione slowly stumbled to her bed, passing out.

Draco tossed in his sleep, thoughts of Hermione drifting through his head. He couldn't help but feel bad for her. She was pretty and smart but e would never admit to any of it. His father would have his head and he already was in hot water for running away. Draco dreamed of what it would be like to make Hermione his. He found her intriguing. She was hard to figure out and he'd been trying since she slapped him in 3rd year. There was something about her that he couldn't place.

The truth that not many people knew was that Draco never really hated Hermione. He insulted her for the sake of his image and so his father wouldn't hit him. He really did hate Harry though. Ever since Harry escaped Voldemort, Lucious has been harder on Draco. Draco never has and never will support the madman but Harry just made his life even more difficult. Hermione was usually in the cross fire. Since she was the Gryffindor-Know-It-All-Mudblood, and best friends with Harry, he had to insult her at every chance to protect himself and his Slytherin King image. The only person that knew the true him was his best friend, Blaise Zambini. Blaise knew Draco didn't actually hate anyone he taunted except for Harry.

Draco debated on getting up. He was tired and his body ached but there was no way he was going to get any sleep with Hermione in his head. He got up and put on some clean clothes. It was about 9 AM so Draco decided to get something to eat. He headed down to Diagon Ally to find a place to eat. He wasn't sure if his father had cut off funds to him yet but he went to Green Gotts anyway. Draco had enough money in him bag at the room to last him until at least school started back. He talked to a goblin who confirmed his suspicions. Draco had indeed been cut off. As he turned to leave, the little goblin stopped him.

"Hold on, you still have an account. It was opened yesterday. Your benefactor wishes to remain anonymous." the goblin told Draco. He was confused for a second but didn't question it. Draco nodded his head and followed the goblin to his vault. The entire vault was stacked with galleons, sickles, and knuts. Draco was pretty sure he had a miniature fortune in the vault. He grabbed enough to buy new clothes and a few decent meals.

Draco made his way out of Green Gotts grinning ear to ear. He wondered who that mystery person was but didn't dwell on it too long. He was just glad he wouldn't starve. He stopped to grab a quick bite to eat and spent most of the morning shopping. He shrunk his bags to fit in his pocket and made his way back to the Leaky Cauldron.

It was about 2 by the time Draco got back to is room. He removed the bags from his pocket and enlarged them. Looking around the room, he saw an owl waiting by his window. He walked over and opened it, letting the creature in. Draco noticed it was the same owl that he had seen flying around Hermione at the beach. He hadn't thought anything of it then. _'If this is her owl, why would she send me a letter?'_ Draco looked at the owl glide through the window. It landed on the back of a chair, holding its leg so Draco could get the note. The owl's feathers were matted down in the back. Draco touched the matted area, flaking off dried blood.

"Do you belong to Hermione?" Draco asked the owl as he was taking the note. The owl hooted in response and Draco assumed it was a 'yes'. Draco quickly unfolded the paper and read its contents:

Dear Draco Malfoy,

Please help me. I will explain everything if I'm still alive when you find me. Follow my owl, Orion and he will lead you to where I am. Please come quickly. I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to last here.

H. Granger

The letter was spotted with dried blood. Without wasting anytime, Orion landed on Draco's shoulder. Once Draco was outside, Orion immediately took flight, leading Draco to save his owner.

Draco was to the Granger house in no time. Orion flew up and pecked at what Draco assumed was Hermione's window. Doubting it would help to ring the bell, Draco checked for muggles and did the alohamora charm to unlock the door. As soon as he entered the house, the smell of stale sex, vomit, and alcohol hit his nose in a wave. He listened to check for any signs of Hermione or anyone else in the house. When he heard nothing, he made his way up the stairs. The blood on the walls and floor made Draco think of his father. He wondered how a muggle could be that cruel. Stopping in front of a semi broken door, Draco heard faint sounds of breathing. He opened the door to discover a very naked and beaten Hermione laid across her bed.

"Oh shit!" he muttered as he quickly walked to her side. Hermione opened her swollen eyes to see where the voice had come from.

"Who are you?" Hermione asked, not being able to see his face.

"Im going to get you out of here." Draco replied. Hermione wasn't fully aware of what was happening.

"Malfoy? Is that you?"

A/N: REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! Ok..now that I got that outta my system im ok. I think this chapter was pretty long. Ill update soon but im getting writers block for this story. If I get more reviews I might be tempted to get the chapters up alittle faster. hint


	6. Love me Save me

Disclaimer: er...yeah...you know what goes here. i dont own HP and if i did it would be called "Draco Malfoy" so yeah...er...dont sue me..im broke.

Thank you to all my loyal reviewers. This chapter it for you. Sorry it took so long. Ive been really sick and Im like swamped with homework that I should probably be doing but Im writing a new chapter instead. Don't worry… its not going to stay this depressing. I just had to do it...you'll find out why later. So…yeah… On with the story!

PS. Im not crazy...Im Selectivelysane

Ch 6

Draco walked over to Hermione. Her hair was covering part of her face but what he could see was bruised and swollen. Her eyes were glazed over as if she weren't really there. Her mind was in another place but her body was still on the bed.

"Hermione?" Draco whispered, not sure if she was still aware of his presence. Her eyes were still distant and clouded with panic. Her body was trembling with terror as he reached out to brush her hair from her face.

"Please, no more. I'm sorry. I'll be good. I promise" Hermione begged, recoiling away from his touch. Tears streamed down her face as Draco took off his cloak to cover her shaking, battered body.

"Its ok, Hermione. I wont hurt you. I promise that Im not gonna hurt you. Gods, what did he do to you?" Draco asked as his eyes scanned over her partially covered body. Hermione was way too thin to be almost 18. He wrapped his arms under her about to pick her up, but a cry of pain stopped him. Draco sighed and with a quick flick of his wand, all her belongings folded themselves and laid neatly in her trunk. He shrunk it and pocketed the trunk and his wand. He turned back to Hermione.

Tears still fell. Hermione whimpered when Draco touched her face. "I promise you that I wont do anything to you," Draco tried to calm her. Her breathing had become quick and short due to pain and fear. Draco was still trying to calm her down, to reassure her that he wouldn't hurt her.

"Draco?" Hermione whispered. Her voice had become strained. She tried to focus her eyes but it didn't work.

"Yes, I'm here," he replied softly, willing not to scare her more. "What did he do to you, Mia?"

"Please don't let him hurt me again'" Hermione cried. She was beginning to black out from the pain.

"Shh. Its ok, Hermione. I wont let him near you." Draco soothed. He tried to lift her again, careful to avoid hitting her ribs. Her frail body was weak and light in his arms. He broke into a jog, running down that stairs, when a yelp of pain and fear stopped him. He quickly abandoned that plan. Her breathing had quickened again and was in short gasps as she was losing consciousness.

"Be strong, Hermione. Please, stay with me." Hermione was too weak to even offer a response. "Please, if anything happens to you, I don't want the task of telling Pothead and Weasel." Nearing the front door, he glanced down to check on her. He saw she was falling asleep despite his requests. He knew she wouldn't last so he just waited. Once she had fallen asleep, he moved quickly.

He was about to walk out the front door, when a car pulled into the driveway. Draco thought it was Hermione's father but he didn't want to stick around long enough to find out. He turned around and moved out the back door. There was nothing back there except dead grass and trash. A loud yell could be heard from inside the house. Draco ignored it and kept moving. He got to a point where he could apperate safely, and took Hermione back to his room at the Leaky Cauldron.

Careful not to injure her more, Draco set Hermione on the bed. He took her trunk and his wand from his pocket. Returning her trunk to normal size, he placed it in the corner and looked through the medicine cabinet. He always kept a supply of healing potions in his room so he could heal himself before going back to he manor. Finding the bottles he needed, he walked back across the room to where Hermione was. He gently peeled the cloak off of her body, revealing the full extent of the damage. At this point, Draco was thankful the he decided to take an extra curricular course on medicine under Madam Pomphrey. He performed a diagnostic spell to find out exactly what was wrong with her. Her body had suffered a tremendous amount of abuse. The test said she had 5 broken ribs, a cracked collar bone, severe tearing in vaginal walls, internal bleeding, shattered wrist, sprained ankle, dislocated shoulder, and a cracked tibia (the shin bone). Not to mention the bruises, welts, burns, and cuts that littered her pale skin.

Draco sighed at the amount of damage done to her body. Draco set to work healing the internal bleeding. He poured a potion into Hermione's mouth and massaged it down her throat. It stopped the bleeding and replenished the lost blood. He started on the open wounded on her skin. With a simple healing charm, he mended the lacerations on her flesh, leaving the bruises. Those would have to heal on their own. He didn't have anything to get rid of them. A few hours later, as Draco worked, Hermione started to stir. She was waking up, opening her eyes slowly.

"Hello. Welcome back to the land of the living. How do you feel?" Draco asked, being sincere in his weird sarcastic kind of way. Hermione let her eyes adjust, wondering where she was.

"Water," was the only thing she managed to croak. Draco got up and got a glass. He handed her some water and she sipped it. She looked around, trying to figure out where she was. As she was looking, she realized she was naked. As fast as she could, she covered her body with the cloak next to her. Draco saw her panic and shook his head.

"I know you don't believe me, but I've changed. I'm not like I was before and I didn't do anything to you. I swear." Draco saw Hermione's face lighten and she relaxed some.

"Where am I?" Hermione asked, breathing slightly heavy and wincing.

"My private rooms. I have a special hidden and warded area of the Leaky Cauldron. Don't worry, you're safe here." Draco replied, handing Hermione a pain killer. "You're going to have to drink Skelegrow to fix your bones. I've already healed just about everything else. The damage to your ahem will have to heal on its own."

"Why are you being so nice?" Hermione asked, hoping to distract him from asking her what happened. It didn't work.

"Because that's just how I am. But that's not important. What exactly happened to you?" Draco countered, cleaning the blood from his sheets.

"Nothing happened."

"Don't lie to me, Granger. I'm not stupid. I saw your injuries. What happened?" Draco's back was to Hermione. He was digging through his things to get Hermione something lose to wear so she didn't aggravate her injuries.

"I'm not lying, Malfoy. And why do you care?" Hermione shot at him. She didn't understand why he was being so nice all of a sudden.

"Didn't you hear me the first time? I'm not like Father! I do have a heart. If you want I could take you back to your house. Is that what you want?" Draco asked tossing her an old t-shirt and a pair of pajama pants. He turned his back so she could get dressed.

"No. Please don't make me go back there." Hermione whispered, pulling the large shirt over her head. She pulled on the pants and rolled them up so she could walk. Draco was considerably taller than her. "You can turn around now, Malfoy."

"Please…Hermione, don't call me by that foul man's name. I'm Draco."

"Sorry, Draco." Hermione said. Draco shook his head, retreating to find himself some pajamas. He didn't think Hermione would be comfortable with him in his boxers after everything she went through.

"It's ok. You don't have to tell me what happened tonight, but I will need to know eventually." Draco said. He pulled off his shirt, forgetting about his own injuries. Hermione gasped when she was the scars and bruises that ran courses across his back. Draco turned around when he realized what he had just done.

"I'm fine. Leave it alone. I don't want to talk about it," Draco warned. Hermione decided to press into it later. She didn't want to upset him after he just saved her. Draco put on a tank top and a pair of basketball shorts. Hermione watched him as he changed, noticing how his muscles moved. The years of Quidditch had done his body well. His shoulders were broad, his abs hard, and his arm and legs were well defined.

"See something you like?" Draco asked. Hermione blushed a deep red, knowing she had been caught staring. Draco walked over to the bed and sat down next to Hermione. He laid back, staring at the ceiling.

"Where's an extra blanket?" Hermione asked.

"Why? Are you cold? I can light a fire." Draco asked sitting up.

"No, I assumed you wanted the bed. In case you didn't notice, there's only one in this room." Hermione said, swinging her legs off the bed to stand up.

"We can share it if you want. I'm not going to put you on the floor. It wouldn't be good for your injuries. I promised earlier that I wouldn't try anything." Draco reminded her. Hermione looked at Draco with shock all over her face.

"Is this a joke? I thought I was just the little annoying know it all mudblood. Why are you being so nice to me?" Hermione asked, not trusting his kindness.

"Look, I'm only going to say this once. I'm- not- like- my- father," Draco stated slowly as if he were talking to a 5 year old. "To be honest, I don't have a problem with you. I actually like muggles. I find them interesting, however if Father ever knew that, I would be in a lot of trouble. So I had to be mean to you. I'm sorry for everything I've done and said. I didn't mean any of it, it was all to protect my reputation. And it didn't help that you were best friends with Pothead." Draco explained. Hermione shot him a glare from calling Harry that.

"Was Orion the one that lead you to me?" Hermione asked, remembering the letter she sent. Draco nodded. As if on cue, Orion flew in through the open window. He landed on Hermione's arm and played with her hair. Hermione laughed and kissed him on his beak, stroking his regal black feathers. Draco watched her with the bird with slight fascination.

"That's a really smart bird you have. How long have you had him?" Draco asked. Responding to Draco's voice, Orion looked over to where he was laying. He gave a happy hoot and glided to Draco. Orion nipped affectionately at Draco's ear, like he thanking him for saving Hermione.

"I got him at the beginning of summer. About a week before I saw you on the beach. Ken had given away Crookshanks because he said he didn't want him in the house. I couldn't do anything to get him back. I bought an owl a few days later but never let Ken know I had one. The only time I let Orion in was when I was sure that 'man' was gone or sleeping." Hermione transfigured a lamp into a walking cane. She got up and went over to her trunk. She took out a book and a small box. She limped back to the bed and sat down. Opening the box, she pulled out owl treats and gave a few to Orion. When she thought he was happy, she began looking through her book. Draco chuckled as he watched Hermione.

"Don't you do anything besides read?" Draco asked smiling. For the first time since Hermione had known him, Draco was wearing a genuine smile. Not his usual smirk.

"Yes, I dance too. But, in this current state, I don't think I could do much dancing." Hermione smiled back. Hermione was slightly confused.

"Orion delivered my letter to you? Or did someone else give it to you?"

"I came back here from shopping and he was waiting for me." Draco answered confused. "It say 'Dear Draco Malfoy' too. Why?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about it," Hermione replied. She was really confused. How could he be the one that truly cares about her? Before she tied the note to Orion, she used wandless magic to perform a spell on it. The spell made it so only he person that truly loved her would be able to open it. And their name would be at the top. Either Draco was in love with her or he thought of her as a sister. Either way, he loved her.

"Are you ok?" Draco asked, getting concerned. Hermione's face paled a little and she was too quiet. Even Orion sensed something. He hopped across the bed to Hermione, an owl treat still in his mouth.

"Im fine. Just tired." Hermione lied. She didn't want to bring it up just yet. She decided to let it run its course. After all, Draco Malfoy wasn't that bad of a guy anymore. And she was safe as long as she was with him, so she guessed it wouldn't hurt to give him another chance.

A/N: Alright….15 reviews…I guess you gotta start somewhere. It only took me like a week to get this up. I think that's a new record. Please people… review. I have no idea where I want to go with the next chapter. Let me know what you think and ill get back to you:

**SkittlesStar25**- Thanks for reviewing. I hope this chapter answers your question. don't worry, its not going to stay this dark. Im just kinda giving background info. It plays a role later in the fic…. If you have any suggestions for plot ideas or something, email me

**AquiliusAmor**- I get told a lot that im too graphic. I think details help with the imaging process. If im too vulgar just let me know. Ill try not to give people nightmares -

**Cheer1556- **I don't know what im going to do with Harry and Ron yet. They may leave and come back or not leave at all. I don't know

Thank you to everyone else that reviewed. I appreciate it:

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Tasogare Asa (the one that wakes me up at an ungodly hour to read her fic)


	7. Sorry guys

Sry everyone. this isnt a new chapter. i was almost done with the next chapter and my computer crashed. i lost everything. however..i need ideas. ive got a serious writers block and i need help. ill get the next chapter up asap but i make no promises that itll be soon. i have cheer camp and summer homework(sucks...i know). thank you all my loyal readers and i promise that i will update as soon as i can.

much love,

Selectivelysane


	8. New Beginnings

New Beginnings

Disclaimer: er...yeah...you know what goes here. I don't own HP and if I did it would be called "Draco Malfoy" so yeah...er...don't sue me...I'm broke.

Wow...haha. I can't believe it took me two years to update this. I'm sorry yall. You can put down the torches and pitch forks now. lol. I'm back in action for now. So I want reviews. Ok. Let's get to it.

P.S. I'm not crazy...I'm Selectivelysane.

Ch 7

Hermione could hardly sleep. Her thoughts were moving a mile a minute. Could Draco really care about her? Why? She rolled over and looked at Draco's sleeping form. In the moonlight, he looked almost angelic. His chest was rising and falling in even breaths as he slept. His hair lay perfectly across his face, just barely hiding his closed eyes. Hermione looked away, willing her thoughts to let her get some sleep. It took ages but she soon nodded off.

Draco woke early the next morning. He glanced at Hermione, checking to see if she was awake and slipped out of bed quietly. He made his way to the shower and washed. He took his time, allowing himself to process everything that happened in the past two days. Not only had he ran away from Malfoy Manor, but he was currently housing a very beaten and wounded Hermione. He never would've imagined this to happen. He dried off and dressed in simple black pants and a slightly fitting t shirt that read, "Keep Staring, I might do a Trick." He didn't even bother to gel his hair. He kind of liked the way it fell without it. He walked out of the bathroom and ordered breakfast for him and Hermione. By the time breakfast had arrived, Hermione had begun to stir.

"Good Morning. Woah, loving the bed head thing you got going there." Draco smirked at Hermione's hair. She rolled her eyes and flipped him the bird. Draco laughed, "Are you this feisty every morning?"

"Yes. It's too early for this."

"Well, whenever you decide to get up, breakfast is waiting on the table over there. I suggest you get it while it's still warm."

Hermione shifted the blankets off of her and kicked her legs slowly out of bed. She stretched her arms and legs out. Her body felt like it had been run over by a train. All of her muscles were stiff and uncomfortable but she wasn't in a whole lot of pain. The skelegrow and healing potions had healed most of her injuries. The only real damage left were bruises, minor burns and some tearing from the assault, but that would have to heal on its own. She was still wearing Draco's clothes. The pants were way too long so she had to reroll them. Draco made his was over to the bed and set a pile of folded clothes, a towel and a wash cloth on the night table. Hermione shifted her weight to get up.

"Can you manage on your own or do you need assistance?" Draco asked, watching her get out of the bed.

"I'm fine, thank--" Hermione's word were cut off as she stood up too fast, causing the blood to rush from her head. She collapsed but before she hit the floor, a pair of strong arms caught her gently around her waist.

"You were saying?" Draco had his trademark smirk in place. Hermione glared at him but used his support to steady herself before trying to walk. She regained her balance and tried to walk to the bathroom. "Are you sure you're gonna make it?"

"I'm fully capable of taking care of myself."

"Oh yes. Because you falling over two seconds ago was nothing. Nothing at all. Why won't you just swallow your pride for 60 seconds and let me help you?" Draco looked at her, slightly annoyed with her stubbornness.

"Because I can manage on my own. Stop trying to help me just to clear your conscience for treating me like shit for the past 6 years!" Hermione's glare softened almost the second she looked into his eyes. He didn't make any effort to hide his hurt and Hermione instantly regretted her words.

"If you don't want my help, fine. But forgive me for actually giving a flying fuck what happens to you. I'm not trying to help you because I was a prick to you before. Why is it so hard to believe that I've changed?" Draco let her go and stepped back, turning away from her. "I set some clothes on the night stand for you so you wouldn't have to irritate your injuries digging through your trunk. I'm going out for a little while. I need to clear my head." Draco crossed the room toward the door. "Make sure you eat something. If you need anything, Tom knows how to reach me." Without another word, Draco walked out.

Hermione was left standing alone in Draco's private rooms. "Leave it to me to mess this up..." She mumbled as she made her way slowly to the bathroom carrying the pile Draco had left out for her. She ran the water in the tub and selected a scented bubble bath. The smell of apples filled the bathroom as Hermione peeled off Draco's clothes. She tossed them into a pile in the corner and lowered herself into the warm water. Her muscles relaxed as she soaked.

'_Maybe I am being a little hard on him. He actually seems genuine. I've gotta remember to apologize to him when he comes back.' _Hermione sat in the water, thinking until the bubbles ran out. She slowly eased herself out of the tub and wrapped herself in a towel. Walking out of the bathroom, she glanced at a clock. 'I guess I should eat something.' she thought to herself. Still wrapped in the towel, she walked over to the table and looked over the food waiting for her. She chose some fruit and a piece of toast and set it on the nightstand. She picked up the clothes Draco left out and walked back into the bathroom. She brushed her teeth and hair and looked at her reflection. Hermione hardly knew the creature that was looking back at her. Its eyes were a dull lifeless brown against chalky pale skin. The bruises left a purple tint to her skin, making her look even viler. Hermione tore her gaze from the mirror. The ugly image in the mirror haunted her. She fought back the tears that threatened to spill. Ignoring her thoughts, she slowly pulled on the clothes, trying not to cause herself anymore pain.

Hermione finished dressing and needed something to occupy her time. Completely ignoring the abandoned food on the night stand, Hermione turned on some music. "Breathe" by Anna Nalick floated across the room. Hermione set to cleaning the bathroom the muggle way. As time passed, she began to calm down. Hermione found comfort in her usual routine of cleaning. Another hour passed, and the bathroom was spotless. Hermione started making the bed when the front door opened.

Draco walked carrying two bags. He looked a lot calmer than when he left. "Hey," he said as he set the bags down on the dresser.

"Hey." Hermione finished straightening the sheets. She sat down on the bed and laid back. The radio still played softly in the background.

"John Mayer? Nice. I listen to him when I need to relax. Muggles have more soothing music than wizards," Draco said, walking to the bathroom. When he reemerged, he looked at Hermione. "Looks like you've been busy. I can smell the bleach. How long have you been cleaning?"

"Just a few hours."

Draco noticed the untouched food on the nightstand. He shook his head and picked up the plate. He handed in to Hermione. "You need to eat. And I know you haven't so don't lie to me." Hermione sat up and took the plate, picking at the fruit. She ate a piece slowly, staring off into space. Draco leaned over and took his shoes off. "Are you ok?" He asked looking at the vacant expression on her face.

"Yeah. I'm fine," she said, still pushing the food around her plate not really eating any of it. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Ok," Draco said getting up. He crossed the room and picked an apple for himself. "I'm listening, but you need to keep eating. At least eat some of it." Hermione popped a strawberry in her mouth, thinking of where to begin. Waiting patiently, Draco sat back on the bed and leaned against the headboard.

"I'm sorry for the way I treated you. I know you're just trying to help, and it's not fair for me to make that harder on you." Draco bit into his apple, taking his time to answer her.

"Apology accepted. Let's just forget about the past and start new. We're both different people than what we show at Hogwarts. I don't have a problem with you and I hope you'll resolve you're problems with me."

"I don't have any problems with that."

"Then it's settled. The past is the past. Let whatever the future holds kick ass!" Draco laughed. Hermione looked at him and shook her head. She picked at another strawberry. Draco continued to eat his apple, glancing over at Hermione every now and then. "It still looks like something is bothering you."

"Nothing. Just thinking about the fu-" Hermione rolled over and went into a coughing fit. She doubled over, grabbing her side as she started to gag. Draco leapt off of the bed and grabbed a trashcan and a pain reliever potion. Hermione went a pale shade of green and emptied the contents of her stomach into the trashcan. Draco just held her hair out of the way and rubbed her back until she was finished. Hermione curled up on the bed completely drained.

"You can't work yourself this hard. You're still recovering," Draco said stroking her hair. She was drenched in sweat and shaking. "Please, try to calm down. You're going to be ok."

"It hurts!" Hermione's ribs felt like they were on fire. She curled tighter into a ball. Her breathing became labored. Tears were starting to stream across her face.

"Mia, please. Calm down," Draco tried to get her to breath. "Try this. It'll help with the pain." Hermione uncurled long enough to swallow a mouthful of the potion. She rested her head against the pillow letting the numb wash over her.

"I like that."

"That's a first. This is one of the nastiest potions I've ever tasted. Somehow this just doesn't taste like grape," Draco said putting the cap back on the bottle. He leaded over and set it on the night stand.

"Not the potion. That was disgusting. I feel better though. I meant I like that name. Mia."

"Oh." Draco turned a slight shade of red. He hadn't noticed that he called her that. Hermione smiled up at him. She yawned and rolled over.

"I'm getting tired. I'm gonna take a nap."

"Ok. That sounds good. You're over working yourself. I'll wake you when it's time for dinner."

Hermione curled up, letting fatigue take over. She drifted into a calm sleep. Draco watched her fall asleep thinking about what had just happened. Slowly, he drifted to sleep also.

A/N: So it only took me like 3 years to update this. Lol. Sorry guys. I'll get better with that. Review!


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